There are four key principles which underpin the work of advocacy services:
• independence
• being client led
• confidentiality
• empowerment
Independence
It is important that advocacy services are independent from service providers. [ This
allows the service to promote the wishes and feelings of the client without being
restricted by conflicts of interests or partiality.Being client

led
-Advocates take instruction and are led 100% by the person receiving advocacy – no
matter what the person wants to happen or what choices they want to make. This
can be challenging for some advocates particularly when the person wants to make
a decision that the advocate disagrees with or thinks is risky –for instance a young
person who wants to return home to live with abusive parents or a patient who wants
to discontinue with their medication. Confidentiality
Confidentiality means that advocates can provide a safe space for people to work
out what they want with many advocacy services working to higher thresholds of
confidentiality than many other agencies. Many people who use advocacy, do so
precisely because they want confidential support.
Empowerment
As essential principle which underpins any advocacy work is that of empowerment.
It is concerned with supporting clients to gain control over their lives and decisions
that are made about them. This increases their self esteem and confidence thereby
giving them a sense of their own ability to resolve difficulties and challenges. ]